7.0 Introduction. Chapter 7 Water Supply

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1 7.0 Introduction This chapter presents an overview of the water resources setting including the historical and current conditions of water supply. Yuba County s surface and groundwater water resources are extensive and include the North, Middle, and Lower Yuba; portions of the Feather and Bear River systems; and two major groundwater subbasins: North Yuba and South Yuba. The Lower Yuba is characterized by the 24- mile river reach from below Englebright to the confluence with the Feather at Yuba City. Delivery and management of these resources requires extensive infrastructure and continuous maintenance, which present challenges to local water managers, especially disadvantaged communities, in the region. The water purveyors of the region exercise many senior Area of Origin water rights to meet the needs of local citizens. The Area of Origin laws are a set of legislature enactments that collectively seek to reassure local water rights owners and users that their needs will be protected from impacts of exporting water out of the area of origin. 1 The water purveyors on the valley floor currently use both surface water and groundwater to meet demand. Yuba County Water Agency (YCWA) delivers surface water from the Yuba River to its member units: Cordua Irrigation District, Ramirez Water District, Hallwood Irrigation Company, Browns Valley Irrigation District, Brophy Water District, South Yuba Water District, Dry Creek Mutual Water Company, and Wheatland Water District. The member units use their own water rights or pump groundwater to meet part of their water demands. Rural and domestic water users depend upon the groundwater basin for water supply. Protection of groundwater resources and supplies is an important issue. The municipal water purveyors located on the valley floor rely exclusively on groundwater to meet their needs. The municipal purveyors are California Water Service for the City of Marysville, Linda County Water District (CWD), the City of Wheatland, Olivehurst Public Utilities District (PUD), and Beale Air Force Base (AFB). See Figure 7-1 for a map of all the water purveyors in the Yuba County IRWMP region. Foothill communities within the Plan area, such as Camptonville, Brownsville, Challenge, Dobbins, and Oregon House, also use both surface water and groundwater to meet their needs. Surface water sources include the rivers and streams on which in-stream diversions and storage facilities have been constructed with local financing. As a result, local water supplies vary seasonally and year to year, depending on the amount and timing of precipitation and the corresponding significant variability in runoff. Many public and private water systems supply water within the foothills region of the Plan area, with locally developed surface water accounting for approximately 85 to 90 percent of the local consumptive use. The remainder of the water is provided from federal water facilities, individual groundwater wells, small private surface storage, locally developed imports from adjacent hydrologic regions, and reclaimed wastewater. As explained by the Department of Water Resources (DWR s) online Groundwater Information Center, although surface water and groundwater appear to be two distinct sources of water, they are not. Surface water and groundwater are connected physically in the hydrologic cycle. 2 Continued sustainability of local water supplies and other future benefits of groundwater substitution depend upon 1 Wilson, N.D. California's Area of Origin Laws (October 8, 2013). 2 Department of Water Resources, Groundwater Information Center, Yuba County IRWMP 2015 UPDATE 7-1

2 Figure Yuba County IRWMP 2015 UPDATE

3 recharge of the underlying aquifer with surface water from the Yuba River. This recharge is achieved through a combination of deep percolation of applied irrigation water on the farmed lands, along with seepage from the YCWA and member unit distribution and drainage system. As a result, strategies of YCWA and member units to conserve water are focused on reduction of losses to spillage and tailwater that leave the YCWA member unit service areas. Extensive recovery and reuse of spillage and tailwater is practiced within the member unit service areas, and future efforts aim to both reduce and recover additional losses that would otherwise leave the area. The net effect of this conservation is to decrease Yuba River diversions and groundwater pumping, enhancing local supply and increasing the amount of water available for transfer. 3 Effective management requires consideration of both surface and groundwater sources as one resource. With that in mind, more understanding and protection of groundwater, especially from contamination and overuse, is needed to increase the overall water supply. Monitoring and evaluation must be continued to gain the understanding needed so that future groundwater issues are not overlooked or misunderstood. 7.1 Surface Water Supplies The following sections describe the surface water supplies and storage facilities for the region Yuba River The Yuba River is centrally located within Yuba County and provides the primary surface water source to both the valley and foothill regions. The Yuba River basin drains approximately 1,339 square miles of the western Sierra Nevada slope, including portions of Sierra, Placer, Yuba, and Nevada Counties. The Yuba River is a tributary of the Feather River, which, in turn, is a tributary of the Sacramento River. The average annual unimpaired flow of the Yuba River at Smartsville is 2.45 million acre-feet (maf); however, a portion of this water is diverted from the watershed and is not available to the Lower Yuba River. The annual unimpaired flow has ranged from a high of 4,925,000 acre-feet (af) in 1986 to a low of 370,000 af in The average surface water supply use in the region is about 304,000 af, with plans for expansion to 345,000 af Yuba County Water Agency Water Rights YCWA is a major water rights holder on the Yuba River. YCWA diverts water for consumptive uses under Permits 15026, 15027, and YCWA s permits authorize direct diversion up to a total rate of 1,593 cubic feet per second (cfs) from the Lower Yuba River from September 1 to June 30 for irrigation and other uses, and up to 1,250,000 af from October 1 to June 30 to storage in New Bullards Bar Reservoir. Various water districts, irrigation districts, and mutual water companies have contracts with YCWA for delivery of water. Some of the parties that receive water from YCWA also have their own appropriative rights for diversion of water from the Yuba River, including Browns Valley Irrigation District, Cordua Irrigation District, and Hallwood Irrigation Company. Other agencies and districts providing surface water for irrigation in Yuba County include the North Yuba Water District (from the south of the Feather River), 3 Yuba County Water Agency, Agricultural Water Management Plan (December 2012). Yuba County IRWMP 2015 UPDATE 7-3

4 Camp Far West Irrigation District (from the Bear River), and Plumas Mutual Water Company (from the Lower Feather River). YCWA contract allocations are based on the gross acreage served by each member unit. The maximum Base Project Water allocation is computed by multiplying 90 percent of the gross acreage by 2.87 af per acre (af/ac). The maximum Supplemental Water Supply is computed by multiplying 90 percent of the gross acreage by 2.13 af/ac. For member units that have water rights senior to YCWA, their contract allocations are based on their water rights amounts Other Rivers that Contribute to Water Supply Other large rivers that contribute surface water supplies to Yuba County include the Feather River, Honcut Creek, and the Bear River Feather River and Lake Oroville The Feather River watershed is located on the eastern side of the Sacramento Valley, generally north and east from Marysville and Yuba City. The Feather River watershed is located north of the Yuba River watershed in the Sierra Nevada. The drainage of the watershed at Oroville Dam is 3,607 square miles. The Feather River flows for 200 miles from an elevation of nearly 10,000 feet in the Sierra Nevada to an elevation of less than 100 feet near its confluence with the Sacramento River. As the Feather River flows west onto the Sacramento Valley floor, it turns south and is joined by Honcut Creek, the Yuba River, and the Bear River prior to joining the Sacramento River near Verona. Between Honcut Creek and the Bear River, the Feather River is the western boundary of Yuba County. Oroville Dam and Reservoir, a key feature of the State Water Project (SWP), was completed in It has capacity for 3,537,000 af, of which up to 750,000 af are dedicated to flood control between October 15 and March 31. The Feather River watershed above Oroville Dam totals about 3,600 square miles (Figure 6-2). Precipitation falls in the form of rain and snow. Oroville Dam is owned and operated by the DWR as part of the SWP. Unimpaired flows range from 1,000,000 af per year to 9,400,000 af per year (af/yr) and average about 3,800,000 af/yr. The maximum objective flood release is 150,000 cfs. The SWP has inundation rights to flood portions of western Yuba County within Reclamation District 10 located north of the City of Marysville upstream of the confluence of the Feather and Yuba Rivers. The North Yuba Water District has an existing agreement with the South Feather Water and Power Agency for a firm supply of 3,700 af/yr and surplus water when available from the South Fork Feather River Project Honcut Creek The Honcut Creek watershed, above the Town of Honcut, totals about 78 square miles and produces about 60,000 af/yr of runoff, primarily from rainfall. There are no major reservoirs on Honcut Creek, but there are a number of riparian diversions Bear River The Bear River is the second largest tributary to the Feather River (the Yuba River is the largest tributary). The Bear River drainage basin area totals about 550 square miles and joins the Feather River about 15 miles south of the City of Marysville. The watershed above Camp Far West Dam totals about 290 square 7-4 Yuba County IRWMP 2015 UPDATE

5 miles (Figure 6-2). The Bear River watershed is much smaller and at a lower elevation than the Yuba and Feather Rivers, so most of the precipitation falls in the form of rain. Unimpaired flows range from about 20,000 to 740,000 af/yr and average 272,000 af/yr Dry Creek Dry Creek is a tributary to the Yuba River with a drainage basin totaling about 108 square miles. It joins the Lower Yuba River about 15 miles east of the City of Marysville. Dry Creek begins near Frenchtown and flows to the northeast end of Collins Lake. It then flows from the southwest end of Collins Lake to Browns Valley, where it enters the Yuba River in Hammon Grove Park. The total length of Dry Creek is about 29 miles and unimpaired flows average 55,000 af/yr Recycled Water Yuba County stakeholders have identified various opportunities for recycled water as is demonstrated in Chapter 14 Project Application, Development, and Review. Currently, the Cities of Wheatland and Olivehurst are proposing recycled water feasibility studies, and YCWA is exploring collaboration with its north area member units to develop a North Area Irrigation Water Reuse Project. Beale AFB uses secondary-23 disinfected recycled water to irrigate the Base s golf course. The golf course is operated as a restricted access golf course, and historical demand is about 100 million gallons per year Return Irrigation Flows The 2010 Yuba County Water Agency Groundwater Management Plan suggests that runoff and recharge from irrigation may be a significant contributor to overall groundwater, offering over 30 percent of recharge from percolation of applied surface irrigation water. A better understanding of the relationship between primary water demands and return flow volumes/recharge dynamics is needed in order to effectively manage conservation strategies in the Yuba County IRWMP region based on return flows. 7.2 Groundwater Supplies The following section describes groundwater supplies for the region Upper Watershed While groundwater is critical to the valley region, groundwater in the foothill region is an inadequate and unreliable water supply for large-scale use. The fractured bedrock formations that constitute much of the Sierra Nevada foothills and western slopes of the mountains are poorly suited to contain large quantities of groundwater. Water cannot penetrate the rocks unless there are fractures; where rock fractures are present, small amounts of water can be stored and made available to wells that intersect the fractures. Nevertheless, many rural homes, farms, and ranches throughout the foothills of the region rely on groundwater supplies, with individual wells Valley Floor Groundwater is a critical supply for the Yuba County IRWMP region s valley, including for all five municipal purveyors (Marysville, Olivehurst PUD, Linda CWD, Wheatland, and Beale AFB) that depend Yuba County IRWMP 2015 UPDATE 7-5

6 exclusively on groundwater for municipal/industrial water supply. The groundwater aquifer underlying the valley floor within Yuba County is divided into two subbasins: North Yuba and South Yuba. These two subbasins encompass approximately 270 square miles and are defined by DWR as follows: North Yuba subbasin (groundwater basin number ) is bounded on the north by Honcut Creek, the Feather River on the west, on the south by the Yuba River, and on the east by the Sierra Nevada. South Yuba subbasin (groundwater basin number ) is bounded on the north by the Yuba River, the Feather River on the west, on the south by the Bear River, and on the east by the Sierra Nevada. These two subbasins are part of the larger Sacramento Valley groundwater basin and are somewhat hydraulically isolated from the rest of the Sacramento basin by the surface streams that surround them. See Figure Groundwater Levels The 2010 YCWA Groundwater Management Plan estimated total freshwater storage in Yuba County s groundwater basin to be 7.5 maf. Wells in the region range from less than 300 feet in the east basin to about 700 feet in the west, with some well depths as much as 900 feet at the Feather River. 4 However, since most wells are screened at less than 300 feet below ground surface, readily accessible freshwater is estimated at 4.0 maf. According to the 2010 YCWA Groundwater Management Plan, groundwater levels along the Feather River in both the North and South Yuba subbasins have been generally stable since at least Starting in the 1970s, the North Yuba subbasin (Ramirez Water District, Cordua Irrigation District, Hallwood Irrigation Company, and Browns Valley Irrigation District) began showing groundwater level improvements coinciding with surface water deliveries to the Ramirez Water District. Similarly, groundwater elevations recovered from historical overdraft in the central South Yuba subbasin (Brophy Water District, Dry Creek Mutual Water Company, South Yuba Water District, and Wheatland Water District) when surface water deliveries were made there, starting in the 1980s. 5 Shallow groundwater levels directly influence and are influenced by adjacent streams. When shallow groundwater levels rise, streamflows can be increased; conversely when they lower, stream flows can decrease. When groundwater is near the surface, it can create wetlands and other similar habitat Groundwater Flow Direction Groundwater flows from the eastern boundary of Yuba County toward the western boundary of the county. The hydraulic gradient dips steeply from the Sierra Nevada mountain front, which abuts the eastern boundary of the county and gradually flattens out toward the west, eventually discharging into the Feather River. According to the 2010 YCWA Groundwater Management Plan, spring groundwater flows on average from about 140 feet above mean sea level (msl) in the east to 30 feet above msl in the western part of the county. This pattern of higher groundwater elevations on the east declining to the 4 Yuba County Water Agency, Agricultural Water Management Plan (December 2012). 5 Yuba County Water Agency. Yuba County Water Agency Groundwater Management Plan (2010). 7-6 Yuba County IRWMP 2015 UPDATE

7 west is consistent for both the North Yuba subbasin and the South Yuba subbasin, with a few deviations in the South Yuba subbasin due to the moderate cone of depression that exists in the basin s center. 6 In the North Yuba subbasin, groundwater levels range from about 130 feet above msl at the eastern edge of the basin near the Yuba River to about 50 feet msl near the City of Marysville. Groundwater elevations near the center of the subbasin are at about 70 feet above msl. In the South Yuba subbasin, groundwater levels range from about 140 feet at the eastern edge of the subbasin near the Yuba River and Beale AFB to about 25 feet above msl at selected locations west of Highway 70. Groundwater elevations near the center of the subbasin are at about 45 feet above msl. Groundwater elevations near the City of Wheatland are at about 50 to 60 feet above msl and decline to about 35 feet above msl to the northwest along Highway Groundwater Level Trends Several wells in the North Yuba subbasin have been consistently monitored since the 1960s. In general, the drought of 1977 is the record low for groundwater levels in the basin. The groundwater levels did not fully recover from this drought until From 1982 to 1991, groundwater levels throughout the basin rose 10 feet on average and up to 20 feet in some areas. This rise in groundwater elevation was likely due to delivery of surface water for irrigation from the Yuba Project. Seasonal variations in groundwater elevation typically range 10 feet from spring to fall. Historically, groundwater levels have exhibited a well-developed regional cone of depression beneath the South Yuba subbasin since as early as the 1940s. The cone of depression starts on the western side of Beale AFB and continues into the central region (west of Beale AFB) of the South Yuba subbasin. Water levels in the center of the cone of depression were just below sea level during the 1960s. Nearly all groundwater levels were well below adjacent river levels on the Bear, Feather, and Yuba Rivers at that time. Groundwater conditions in 1984 reflected a continued reliance on groundwater pumping in the South Yuba basin. Water levels in the center of the South Yuba cone of depression had fallen to 30 feet below sea level. The water level contours adjacent to the Bear and Yuba Rivers indicated a large gradient and seepage from the rivers. By 1990, water levels in the South Yuba basin cone of depression rose to 10 feet above sea level. The rise in water levels was due to increasing surface water irrigation supplies and reduced groundwater pumping. Groundwater levels have largely recovered from historical overdraft, except in the Wheatland area, because of YCWA s surface water project (i.e., Brophy Canal). 7 As discussed further in Section 7.6 below, groundwater supplies in the Yuba County IRWMP region lack resiliency after droughts based on past events, but they are remaining more stable with interbasin water transfers 8 and the introduction of surface water supplies to agriculture. 9 Ultimately, this could result in increased vulnerability to climate change if the Yuba basin is overdrawn due to out-of-basin transfers or diversions, climate drying, or shifting state policies that could tax this finite supply Groundwater Recharge and Transfers 6 Ibid. 7 Yuba County Water Agency, Groundwater Management Plan Update to Board (September 12, 2006). 8 Yuba County Water Agency. Yuba County Water Agency Groundwater Management Plan (2010). 9 Ibid. Yuba County IRWMP 2015 UPDATE 7-7

8 As discussed below, the greatest water demand in the region by far (80 percent or more) is for agricultural use, primarily for crop irrigation. The 2010 YCWA Groundwater Management Plan suggests that runoff and recharge from irrigation may be a significant contributor to overall groundwater, offering over 30 percent of recharge from percolation of applied surface water. About 30 percent of the region s irrigation comes from groundwater pumping, the majority of which occurs south of the Yuba River. 10 One of the features of the Yuba County IRWMP region s water development strategy has been interbasin transfers of both ground and surface water as a response to water scarcity. 11 This water-management strategy has been encouraged by California law since the 1850s and is an integral part of meeting the needs of the Yuba County IRWMP region and providing water for all beneficial uses. Interbasin water projects are, in some cases, subject to the continuing jurisdiction of the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) because the rights involved are post-1914 appropriative rights. Many (if not most) of the surface water projects seek to capture flows during the winter season and use them to meet demand from municipal/industrial users, agricultural users, and the environment for water during the summer. Groundwater substitution transfers have been completed in six relatively dry years since 1991; during such a year groundwater demand can double and is then generally recharged within two to three years after pumping ends. Most recently, in 2009, during the second year of groundwater substitution transfers and the third year of a relatively dry cycle, irrigators in Reclamation District 10, located along the Feather River in the North subbasin, experienced lower groundwater discharge rates than the previous six years from irrigation wells. Reduced groundwater elevations were attributed to dry conditions, additional pumping within Reclamation District 10 due to dry conditions, and groundwater substitution transfer pumping outside of Reclamation District 10. Additional pumping rates and groundwater level monitoring were initiated to assess and address this problem. Three areas within the Yuba County IRWMP region involve interbasin water development: North Yuba to the South Fork Feather (via the Slate Creek Tunnel), Middle Yuba to South Yuba to Bear River, and North Fork American to Bear River. In addition, the North Yuba Water District has an existing agreement with the South Feather Water and Power Authority for a firm supply of 3,700 af/yr and surplus water when available from the South Fork Feather River Project. This transfer can result in an interbasin transfer from the Feather River watershed to the Yuba watershed. The movement of water from the North Yuba River to the South Feather River is based on an agreement between the YCWA and the South Feather Water and Power Agency. Water is transported from the North Yuba watershed to the South Fork Feather watershed for use in hydropower generation. Water from Slate Creek, a tributary to the North Yuba, is intercepted by the Slate Creek Diversion Dam, and conveyed via a 2.5-mile tunnel to Sly Creek Reservoir, a tributary to the South Fork Feather River. From 2000 to 2005 an average of 78,000 af/yr of water was transferred. 12 The movement of water from the Middle Yuba River to the South Yuba River to the Bear River occurs under Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) #2266 for Nevada Irrigation District s (NID) Yuba Bear Hydroelectric Project. NID is the licensee, owner, and operator, and NID and PG&E coordinate operations in the project. Under the license, approximately 30,000 af/yr of Middle Yuba water is conveyed via the Milton-Bowman Conduit and Bowman-Spaulding Canal to the South Yuba watershed. 10 Yuba County Water Agency. Yuba County Water Agency Groundwater Management Plan (2010). 11 Department of Water Resources, California Water Plan (2009). 12 United States Geological Survey (2006a). USGS Surface-Water Annual Statistics for the Nation - USGS Slate Creek Tunnel Yuba County IRWMP 2015 UPDATE

9 From Spaulding Lake in the South Yuba watershed, a portion of the original Middle Yuba water flows into the Drum Canal and eventually the Bear River, and another portion flows into the South Yuba Canal and eventually to Deer Creek (a tributary to the South Yuba). This conveyance of water provides irrigation and domestic water to NID s customers in addition to the hydropower generated. 13 The movement of water from the South Yuba and North Fork of American River to the Bear River occurs under FERC #2310, PG&E s Drum Spaulding Project. PG&E and the NID also have separate hydropower generating plants and developed water supply and power purchase agreements within this system. 14 Under this system, North Fork American water is conveyed via the Lake Valley Canal to the Drum Canal, which deposits a portion of its flow into the Bear River. Gage readings (from USGS Gage ) on Lake Valley Canal indicate that an average of 12,650 af/yr was conveyed from the North Fork American River watershed to the Bear River watershed from 1990 to Land Use Factors Affecting Water Supply and Demand Although the topic of land use is covered more extensively in Chapter 10, a quick synopsis of predominant land uses and trends is provided here for context in understanding water supply and demand. A variety of land uses occur in the Yuba County IRWMP region, with the majority in Yuba County being agricultural uses (51 percent), followed by public lands, which include Beale AFB (23 percent), urbanized or residential uses (16 percent), and resource extraction/production (3 percent). 16 Fruit and nut crops comprise the majority of agricultural production in Yuba County (54 percent), followed by field and vegetable crops (predominantly rice) (26 percent), livestock and apiculture (17 percent), and timber (3 percent). 17 The region is composed of three general physiographic regions: the valley, foothills, and mountains. The valley is dominated by agricultural and urbanized areas, including Beale AFB, Marysville, Wheatland, and developed unincorporated areas. The foothills and mountain areas include land that has been traditionally used for grazing, timber production, and mining, though rural residential development is an increasing part of the foothill and mountain landscape. Over the last few decades, the Yuba County IRWMP region has experienced a shift in land use away from traditional rural land uses such as irrigated agriculture, livestock grazing, and timber harvesting, and toward rural residential developments. This trend has been driven most recently by an influx of new residents from the 1990s to the early 2000s. In Yuba County, development has largely focused in and around the City of Wheatland, the unincorporated community of Plumas Lakes, and other unincorporated valley agricultural lands. From 1996 to 2007 the population of Wheatland and Plumas Lakes increased by approximately 65 percent. Due to the ring levee system that was constructed to protect the City of Marysville in the 1950s, most growth has occurred in unincorporated areas of the valley floor, and large areas of agricultural lands near State Routes 65 and 70 have been developed or 13 NID UWMP update source and info. See comment above. 14 Foothills Water Network (2006). Hydropower Relicensing Webpage: 15 United States Geological Survey (2006a), USGS Surface-Water Annual Statistics for the Nation - USGS Slate Creek Tunnel Yuba County, General Plan Update Background Report (January 2008). 17 Yuba County, General Plan Update Background Report: Agriculture (January 2008). Yuba County IRWMP 2015 UPDATE 7-9

10 approved for development. Three quarters of Yuba County s population now lives outside the two cities. Even with this development, however, much of the fertile agricultural ground on the valley floor remains in active production today, representing the single most important economic activity and most prevalent land use in the county. 18 Most foothill areas of the Yuba County IRWMP region have experienced only minor development with smaller subdivisions, although several pending development proposals could result in substantial land use change in the future and a sharp increase in population of the foothill areas. 19 Yuba County s population is expected to increase from 72,155 in 2010 to 143,973 in 2050, a twofold increase that equates to an average annual growth rate of approximately 2.5 percent. 20 According to the USDA s 2007 Census of Agriculture, from 2002 to 2007, 73,231 acres of farms were lost (from 234,129 acres to 160,898 acres of farms), resulting in a 31 percent decrease in farmland in only five years. 21 Yuba County s 2008 General Plan Update Background Report on Agriculture shows that of the farmland converted between 1992 and 2006, approximately 3,480 acres was designated by the state as Prime Farmland. Currently, urban areas constitute about 16 percent of the land cover in Yuba County, but this is expected to change as the region accommodates a large increase in population per projections from Department of Finance/Department of Water Resources. Most of the population growth in the Yuba County IRWMP region will be greatest in the valley region of the planning area (e.g., Olivehurst-Plumas Lake, Linda, Wheatland, and large areas around the State Route 65 and 70 corridors). As a result of the adoption of the Yuba County 2030 General Plan, eight percent of the land in Yuba County is now planned for development, a number that will ultimately result in urbanized uses comprising 24 percent of the county s land area. 22 Growth in the Yuba County IRWMP region will affect the extent of open spaces and cause significant impacts on natural resources. 23 At the same time, it brings with it a larger tax base to pay for essential community services which are otherwise limited in rural areas. With the elimination of traditional land uses such as timber harvesting, farming, and ranching, local rural economies are more dependent on development and tourism-related revenues. The SWRCB is establishing flow requirements for rivers that flow into the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta) to meet the Delta s restoration and water supply goals. Many of these river systems headwaters are located in the foothills region of the Plan area. If more water is required for flow into the Delta, it will largely originate from the upstream areas whose local water needs will likely be impacted and from which water is already being provided for downstream interests. 24 In 2010 SWRCB finalized the Development of Flow Criteria for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Flow Criteria), the purpose of which was to identify new flow criteria necessary for fish protection in the Delta ecosystem in accordance with the Delta Reform Act of 2009, Water Code Section et seq. The Flow Criteria do not have any regulatory or adjudicative effect but are used to inform planning decisions for the Delta Plan being prepared by the Delta Stewardship Council and through the collaborative Bay Delta Conservation Plan 18 Yuba County, Yuba County 2030 General Plan (adopted June 7, 2009). 19 Yuba County, General Plan Update Background Report (January 2008). 20 US Census Bureau, quickfacts.census.gov; California Department of Finance, 21 USDA, Natural Agricultural Statistics Service, 2007 Census of Agriculture: Yuba County, California. 22 Yuba County, General Plan Update Background Report (January 2008). 23 Center for Water Resources, UC Davis (1996), Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project. 24 Department of Water Resources, California Water Plan 2013 Update: pp. MC-48, 49 (2013) Yuba County IRWMP 2015 UPDATE

11 effort. The SWRCB recognizes that there are many other important beneficial uses that these waters support such as municipal and agricultural water supply and recreational uses. The SWRCB indicates in Flow Criteria that it must consider and balance all competing uses of water in its decision-making. More broadly, the SWRCB has stated that it will factor in relevant water quality, water rights, and habitat needs as it considers potential changes to its Bay-Delta objectives Summary of Supplies and Demands Forecasting water supplies is challenging due to the influence of many variables, uncertainties, and poorly understood factors, such as the effects of climate change upon surface water supplies and groundwater recharge. Other uncertainties include changes in population and economic growth; changes in water use by households, businesses, and public facilities; agricultural land use and production; the need for irrigation; and future requirements and public desire for increased environmental benefit and/or economic growth. 26 The water forecast for the Yuba County IRWMP region should therefore be viewed as a broad forecast used to determine adequate management practices, and not as an exact future water demand calculation Municipal/Domestic Water Supplies Table 7-1 provides a summary of normal-year and multiple-dry-year (third-year) water supplied to the water agencies for consumptive and/or irrigation use by right or contract. It is important to remember that all the urban areas of the county depend on groundwater as their single source of water supply. The table presents data through 2030 that corresponds to each jurisdiction s Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) or Master Water Plan. A comparison of normal-year supply to multiple-dry-year supply illustrates the region s ability to adequately respond to droughts and climate change projections while relying solely on groundwater for those supplies. The 2010 UWMPs for the City of Marysville, Linda CWD, and Olivehurst PUD are revised every 10 years based on updated state and federal policies. While the IRWMP Guidelines require a 20-year supply and demand horizon, data are currently available only for a 16-year horizon. As the local 2010 UWMPs are updated, supply and demand horizons will be expanded and incorporated into amendments or updates of this Plan. 25 State Water Resources Control Board, California Environmental Protection Agency, Development of Flow Criteria for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Ecosystem, Prepared Pursuant to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Reform Act of 2009 (August 3, 2010). 26 Groves, D.G., Matyac, S. and Hawkins, T., Quantified scenarios of 2030 California water demand. In California Water Plan Update Sacramento, CA: California Department Water Resources (2005). Yuba County IRWMP 2015 UPDATE 7-11

12 Water Agency Table 7-1. Normal and Multiple-Dry-Year Water Supplies by Agency 2015 Supply (af) 2015 Multiple- Dry-Year Supply (af) 2020 Supply (af) 2020 Multiple- Dry-Year Supply (af) 2030 Supply (af) 2030 Multiple- Dry-Year Supply (af) Linda CWD 16,470 16,470 16,470 16,470 16,470 16,470 California Water Service (for Marysville) Olivehurst PUD 2,902 2,753 2,821 2,710 2,838 2,727 3,872 3,872 4,371 4,371 10,552 10,552 Beale AFB 1,130 1,130 1,130 1,130 1,130 1,130 Supply Source Groundwater Groundwater Groundwater Groundwater Source: 2010 Urban Water Management Plans, Wheatland General Plan Update, Master Water Plan, Technical Report (2006). As mentioned previously, rural communities within the Plan area, predominantly located in the foothills, use surface water for 85 to 90 percent of their water needs. Groundwater constitutes the remainder of the foothills water supply, but is an important source for rural homes individual water systems (wells) as well as small public and private water supply systems. Groundwater availability in the foothills area is often limited to fractured rock and small alluvial deposits immediately adjacent to the area s many streams. In the rural areas, many individual residences are not connected to a municipal water system and are dependent upon individual wells for domestic use, which are often unreliable during drought periods. 27 Small water systems face unique financial and operational challenges in providing safe drinking water. Given their small customer base, many small water systems cannot develop or access the technical, managerial, and financial resources needed to comply with new and existing regulations. These water systems may be geographically isolated, and their staff often lacks the time or expertise to make needed infrastructure repairs, install or operate treatment facilities, or develop comprehensive source water protection plans, financial plans, or asset management plans. 28 Residential communities near population centers may have local or regional water and wastewater districts that manage their water and wastewater treatment needs. These agencies are typically governed by state and federal regulations. Requirements under one law may contradict requirements under another law and solutions that fix a problem in one location may have negative or unintended consequences on resources in another location. Without a single responsible regulatory entity, agreed-upon data protocols, or a widely accessible funding source, planning and implementation of different land and water management programs can be uncoordinated Department of Water Resources, California Water Plan 2013 Update: pp. MC-13, 21 (2013). 28 Ibid. 29 DWR, California Water Plan: p. MC Yuba County IRWMP 2015 UPDATE

13 7.4.2 Municipal/Domestic Water Demands Municipal water demand for the Yuba County IRWMP region is forecast using two variables: population and per-capita water use (gallons per capita per day or gpcd). Population is the primary variable used to calculate future urban water demand because housing growth, employment growth, and public sector water use are all correlated with population growth. 30 Yuba County s population is expected to grow at a moderate rate. The California Department of Finance projects an annual average growth rate in Yuba County of approximately 2.5 percent between 2010 and 2050, or a nearly 100 percent increase from 72,155 people in 2010 to 143,973 people in The vast majority of Yuba County s population occurs in population centers around State Routes 65 and 70, and most growth is anticipated in these areas, as well. 31 The 20x2020 Water Conservation Plan identifies the state and regional baselines for water based on 2005 data. Per capita urban water use for the Sacramento River Hydrologic Region (SRHR), in which the Yuba County IRWMP region is located, is 253 gpcd. The 2015 target is a 10 percent reduction of this, or 215 gpcd, and the ultimate 2020 target for the SRHR is 176. For the state, if all urban water suppliers comply with the 20x2020 legislation, gpcd is expected to drop to 154 by 2020, saving nearly 2 maf based on a population of 37 million. 32 The presence of fractured rock and small alluvial deposits in the foothills area of the Yuba County IRWMP region makes it difficult to quantify the upper watershed supplies. In the rural areas, groundwater wells are the primary source of water supply for individual residences. Groundwater wells are notoriously unreliable during periods of drought. As a result of unreliable groundwater and heavy reliance on surface water, local water supplies depend heavily on precipitation and corresponding runoff. 33 In more urbanized areas served by municipal water purveyors, water demand has historically been equivalent to water supply because supply is derived from groundwater sources Agricultural Water Supply and Demand YCWA supplies irrigation water for agriculture as a wholesaler to the municipal customers as well as managing in-stream flows for the Yuba River. Irrigated agriculture is the predominant industry in the Yuba County IRWMP region and occurs primarily in the valley and lower elevations of the Sierra foothills. Summer water demand can vary by more than 50 percent in parts of the region. Agricultural water use is forecast by irrigated crop area, crop type, and water use by crop. Between 2001 and 2010, there was an average of 64,210 acres of farmed land, which includes an average of 1,138 acres of fallow or idle lands. The dominant crop in the service areas of the member units served by YCWA is rice, which was grown on an average of 38,480 acres (about 60 percent of farmed area). Pasture was grown on an average of 6,774 acres. Permanent crops in the YCWA member unit service areas are roughly equally split between walnuts and prunes and account for an average of 10,170 acres or roughly 16 percent of the total cropped area. Riparian areas, wetlands, and ponds cover 12 percent or about 5,550 acres of the farmed area Groves, D.G., Matyac, S. and Hawkins, T. Quantified scenarios of 2030 California water demand. In California Water Plan Update Sacramento, CA: California Department of Water Resources (2005). 31 California Department of Finance, 32 Department of Water Resources, et al. (2010). 33 Department of Water Resources, California Water Plan 2013 Update: pp. MC-13, 21 (2013). 34 Yuba County Water Agency, Agricultural Water Management Plan (p. 5-15) (December 2012). Yuba County IRWMP 2015 UPDATE 7-13

14 YCWA divides its member units into two regions north and south of the Yuba River, the Northside and Southside, respectively. Over the 2001 to 2010 period, YCWA Northside member unit deliveries ranged from 147,000 af to 182,000 af for the calendar year with a wet year average of 168,000 af and a dry year average of 159,000 af. The overall average for the 10-year period was 162,000 af. In the Southside area, deliveries ranged from 84,000 af to 124,000 af with an overall average of 106,000 af, a wet year average of 115,000 af, and a dry year average of 103,000 af. During dry years, YCWA and its member units reduce surface water deliveries and rely more heavily on groundwater, an act termed groundwater substitution. Groundwater substitution in the Northside area ranged from 0 af to 47,000 af between 2001 and 2010 with an overall average of 16,000 af. Wet year and dry year average groundwater substitution pumping volumes were 0 af and 22,000 af, respectively. In the Southside area, groundwater substitution ranged from 0 af to 64,000 af between 2001 and 2010 with an overall average of 18,000 af. Wet year and dry year average groundwater substitution pumping volumes were 0 af and 26,000 af, respectively. Some farms and many of the vineyards have developed wells with enough production to irrigate their lands in all but the driest of years. In the Northside area for eight of the ten years evaluated, a strong reliance on and access to Yuba River surface water was documented. In 2005 and 2007, it is estimated that 4,000 af and 12,000 af, respectively, were pumped to supplement surface water supplies. Overall average private pumping in the Northside area was 1,600 af and was similar in wet and dry years. In the Southside area, private pumping other than for groundwater substitution is greater than for the Northside because the Wheatland Water District did not begin receiving surface water in substantial amounts until 2010 via the Yuba Wheatland Canal Project (Wheatland Canal). Private pumping in the Southside area ranged from approximately 21,000 af to 34,000 af between 2001 and 2010 with an overall average of about 31,000 af. Pumping was similar in wet and dry years, averaging 33,000 af and 31,000 af, respectively. 35 With the expected conversion of agricultural land to urban uses as discussed in Section 7.3, future agricultural water use is expected to decrease. 36 Some of the reduction in agricultural water use will occur with surface water deliveries from YCWA and its member units, while a part of the decrease will also be in the amount of groundwater used on individual farms not currently served by these agencies. Offsetting this decrease in water used for agricultural purposes is the Wheatland Canal, which in 2010 began delivering surface water to Wheatland Water District, previously dependent on groundwater. The Wheatland Canal increased surface water deliveries to agriculture by about 14,310 af/yr (the base project water supply; supplemental supply is up to 7,850 af/yr). Agricultural water use for the planning area is forecast using irrigated crop area and applied water use. DWR has information on both variables for all of the Yuba County IRWMP region counties for Applied water use is the amount of water needed to grow one acre of a crop. Applied water use, expressed as acre-feet per acre (af/ac), is variable and influenced by soil characteristics, climate, and 35 Yuba County Water Agency, Agricultural Water Management Plan (p. 5-52) (December 2012). 36 Yuba County General Plan. %20DOCUMENTS/Background%20Reports/Background%20Reports/Agriculture.pdf and City of Marysville Urban Water Management Plan (2011). 37 California Department of Water Resources (2001). Land and water use from: Yuba County IRWMP 2015 UPDATE

15 irrigation management and efficiency. DWR has information on applied water use per crop by county for Table 7-2. Total Agricultural Applied Water Use in the Yuba County IRWMP Region County Irrigated Acres in County* Percent of Total County Ag in Yuba Region Irrigation Acres in County in Yuba Region Applied Water for Irrigated Ag Lands per County (af/acre) Yuba 85, , Total Acres: Average = 3.29 *2007 Census of Agriculture Total Applied Water use (af/yr) = (Total irrigated acres) X (Average Applied Water use), California Department of Water Resources (2010). Water Budget Workbook. Applied water use in the Sacramento River Hydrologic Region is expected to decrease by A decrease of two and four percent is projected under the Current Trends and Less Resource Intensive scenarios, respectively. Under the More Resource Intensive scenario, applied water use is projected to increase by two percent Environmental Water Demand Environmental water demand is defined by DWR as the amount of water purposefully allowed to flow through natural river channels and wetlands that is not diverted or used for urban or agricultural purposes. 38 Environmental water demand in the region is the sum of: 1. dedicated flows in state and federal Wild and Scenic Rivers; 2. in-stream flow requirements established by the Yuba River Accord and FERC licensing; and 3. applied water demands of managed freshwater wildlife areas. The Yuba County IRWMP region contains approximately 39 miles of state-designated Wild and Scenic status on the South Yuba from Spaulding Dam to the upper limit of Englebright Reservoir. 39 Designated flows from Wild and Scenic Rivers are available for other uses downstream, but not available in the Wild and Scenic designated areas. For 2001, DWR calculated the environmental water demand for the South Yuba River as 83,741 af. 40 Rivers identified as candidates for federal Wild and Scenic designation can be found in Chapter 6 Region Description. Major tributaries of the Yuba, Bear, and Feather Rivers have undergone FERC relicensing processes during the last decade. More than $100 million in public funds have been invested in environmental studies and public collaboration to establish river flow regimes looking to balance the beneficial uses of water resources in the affected reaches. These flow regimes and associated environmental parameters are actively monitored and reported to regulatory agencies such as FERC, California Department of Public Health, and the SWRCB in accordance with the FERC licenses. 38 Groves et al. (2005). 39 California Department of Water Resources, Water plan data, wild and scenic rivers water use (2013 Update). Retrieved from 40 Ibid. Yuba County IRWMP 2015 UPDATE 7-15

16 As discussed in Chapter 6 Region Description, and Chapter 10 Water and Land Use Planning, the Lower Yuba River Accord (Yuba Accord) was implemented as a pilot program in 2006 and 2007, and fully implemented in Since that time, the Yuba Accord has resulted in significantly higher in-stream flow requirements for salmon and steelhead on the Lower Yuba River, an average of over 100,000 af of water transferred for fish and wildlife in the Bay-Delta estuary and for cities and farms throughout the state, and water rights protections for local farmers in Yuba County. The Yuba Accord s in-stream flows may be modified when FERC issues a new long-term Federal Power Act license to YCWA for the Yuba Project (FERC #2246) during or after Minimum in-stream flows are generally met in the Yuba River in compliance with the Yuba Accord. However, this may become more difficult as warming and drying of the climate is projected to reduce regional surface flows in some streams, and future state water regulations and policies are uncertain. 7.5 Surface and Groundwater Infrastructure The water supply infrastructure in the region was originally developed to support mining operations and agriculture, and to provide hydropower. It was later modified to provide public water supplies for domestic, municipal, industrial, and agricultural use, especially during dry months. The Yuba County IRWMP region includes substantial and extensive water infrastructure of several irrigation districts, municipal water agencies, county water agencies, and utility companies, as shown in Figure 7-2. These entities facilities include an array of canals, flumes, tunnels, ditches, pipelines, penstocks, dams, and powerhouses. The infrastructure provides multiple benefits to the region s residents, the greater Sacramento Valley, and, to a lesser extent, statewide, including treated water, regulated flow for hydropower production, recreational opportunities, environmental benefits and streamflow releases, opportunities for out-of-district sales, aesthetic resources, and agricultural irrigation. The larger dams are operated by water agencies, irrigation districts, public utility districts, or PG&E. Many small dams and/or diversions in the watersheds are owned and operated by smaller entities or private individuals. Overall, the major rivers of the Yuba County IRWMP region contain a significant amount of water-related infrastructure as described below. The infrastructure in the Yuba County IRWMP region is aging and in many cases dates back to Gold Rushera construction and uses. In addition, limitations on reservoir dredging due to mercury contamination from the Gold Rush era impacts traditional methods used to maintain reservoir capacities. Additional investment in these resources, both from within and outside the region commensurate with benefits received, is essential to continue reliable and cost-effective water supply and wastewater management throughout the region. Table 7-3 lists the primary reservoirs and corresponding operators that supply the surface water needs both within the Yuba County IRWMP region and for export from the region. In addition to the major reservoirs and lakes listed below, several small water agencies in the Yuba County IRWMP region have water rights and own and operate small-scale conveyance and storage facilities Yuba County IRWMP 2015 UPDATE

17 Figure 7-2 Yuba County IRWMP 2015 UPDATE 7-17